Kenya Unveils Sh7 Billion Plan to Rebuild Deadly Nithi Bridge and Realign Nairobi–Meru Highway

Nairobi, Kenya – August 6, 2025

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has officially invited bids for a Sh7 billion infrastructure overhaul aimed at replacing the notorious Nithi Bridge and realigning a treacherous section of the Nairobi–Meru Highway, long blamed for dozens of fatal accidents.

The high-stakes tender, floated on Tuesday, seeks qualified contractors to undertake the design and construction of a new bridge and dual carriageway, complete with safety improvements and a realignment of the steep incline that has been a recurring blackspot for years.

A Bridge with a Grim History

The existing Nithi Bridge, located in Tharaka Nithi County, has gained tragic infamy as one of Kenya’s deadliest stretches of road. Over the last decade, it has been the scene of multiple bus and lorry crashes, many involving brake failures on the steep descent into the valley.

In the most recent disaster in July 2022, a Modern Coast bus plunged off the bridge, killing 34 passengers and prompting renewed public pressure for government action. The bridge, built in the 1970s, is widely seen as outdated, too narrow, and structurally unsafe for modern traffic volumes.

KeNHA says the new design will prioritize gradient reduction, improved visibility, and modern crash-barrier systemsto prevent vehicles from veering off the road.

Project Scope and Timeline

According to tender documents seen by reporters, the project will involve:

• Construction of a new, elevated bridge spanning the Nithi River gorge

• Realignment and expansion of the existing highway section to reduce slope severity

• Installation of runaway truck ramps to mitigate brake-failure accidents

• Comprehensive drainage, signage, and pedestrian safety feature

The entire project is expected to take 30 to 36 months, with funding drawn from a combination of government allocations and development partner financing, likely involving concessional loans.

Eligible contractors must demonstrate experience in bridge and road engineering in mountainous terrain, as well as environmental and social safeguards capacity. The deadline for bid submission is October 15, 2025.

Public Demand for Accountability

While the move has been widely welcomed, road safety advocates say it is long overdue, and urge the government to ensure the project does not become another case of delayed implementation or inflated costs.

“The public has paid the price in blood. This must be more than a headline — it must be a priority,” said David Muthengi, a transport policy analyst and advocate with Safe Roads Kenya.

Audit reports from the past five years have repeatedly flagged the Nithi section as “structurally deficient” and unfit for heavy traffic, yet it remained in use due to bureaucratic inertia and lack of funding.

Wider Push for Safer Roads

The project comes amid a broader government push to reduce Kenya’s road fatality rate, which remains among the highest in East Africa. According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), over 4,000 people died in road crashes in 2024 alone, many involving outdated infrastructure and poor enforcement of traffic laws.

KeNHA is also reportedly reviewing similar high-risk segments along the Mai Mahiu–Nakuru Escarpment, the Salgaa stretch, and Sagana–Karatina highway for possible redesign.